Coach Kyle Flood and the players tried to convey a sense of
optimism after Saturday's 28-17 loss to UConn, but after hearing similar
comments week after week, it's becoming increasingly difficult to believe.

Rutgers was facing a 1-9 UConn team with nothing on the
line. The Huskies were starting their third quarterback of the season, redshirt
freshman Casey Cochran, and they entered the game ranked among the worst in the
nation both offensively and defensively.

Somehow, that's the team that out-played a Rutgers squad
that needed a win to become bowl eligible. Just last month there were dreams of a BCS bowl. Now the sights are significantly lower -- the BBVA Compass Bowl and Beef 'O' Brady Bowl among the most likely options.

The same problems that have plagued
Rutgers (5-6, 2-5 American) during its recent tailspin reappeared. The pass
defense couldn't make a stop. The quarterback was inaccurate. The running game
couldn't get going.

"I don't think anything gets fixed overnight," Flood said.
"We don't look at it in terms of five losses in six games, just like I wouldn't
look at it in terms of five wins in six games. I don't believe in week-to-week
momentum in football."

Rutgers can qualify for a bowl with a win in the regular
season finale next Saturday at home against 2-9 South Florida. Perhaps the
Scarlet Knights will right the ship, but they're running out of time to make
corrections they've vowed have been coming for weeks.

The pass defense entered as the second-worst in the nation
and it showed the ranking was no fluke. Making the third start of his career,
Cochran completed 25-of-33 passes for 311 yards, two touchdowns and no
turnovers.

The Huskies went 9-for-15 on third down, converting all four
third downs on their game-sealing touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter.
Every time UConn needed a first down, it called for a pass over the middle and
Cochran repeatedly found open receivers behind the linebackers and in front of
the secondary.

"What I see is probably the same thing you see: Teams
continue to attack us in the dig hole," Flood said. "When we go back and look
at the film, we're going to see some opportunities where we were close. But
that's not good enough. It's not enough to be close. You have to make the
plays."

There was hope that the switch to backup quarterback Chas
Dodd could inject some life into the offense. While Dodd had his moments, the
results were no different than those Gary Nova produced. Dodd went 16-for-35
for 286 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions.

The offense managed just one touchdown, with the score on
the opening drive coming as the result of a fake field goal. The rushing attack was limited to 68 yards, the third time in four games Rutgers has failed to reach 100 yards.

Flood didn't make
an announcement postgame, but Dodd figures to get the start against South
Florida. The fact that the limited Dodd, whose eligibility is set to
expire, is the team's best option heading into a must-win game sums up the
bleak outlook for Rutgers.

"We need to be more productive on offense," Flood said. "But
it's not the NFL, you don't sign players during the season. We have our
football team and we have some young guys out there running around that, as
they mature, are going to be much better football players than they are right
now."